Top for vehicles.



PATENTED 00T. 24, 1905.

W LINDSAY T0? FOR VEHICLES.

APPLIOMION FILED Mmm, 1905.

TED STATES yIJATEIIr WILLIAM LINDSAY, OF IITTSBURG, KANSAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO J. B. MANTONYA, OF PITTSBURG, KANSAS.

TOP FOR VEHICLES..

Patented Oct. 24, 1905.

Application filed March 2l, 1905. Serial No. 251.305.

Be it known that I, WILLIAM LINDSAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Crawford and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tops for Vehicles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as'will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to tops for vehicles; and its object is to provide a collapsible device of this character which is permanently connected to one side of the seat of a vehicle and which is adapted to be folded into compact form and to be swung into position beneath the seat of the vehicle.

Another object is to provide afcover the parts of which are permanently connected and which does not require any of the parts to be detached in order to place the cover beneath the seat.

The invention also consists of similar side frames suitably braced and connected by top bows of any preferred construction which are hinged to the frames. One of these frames is hinged to one side of the carriage-seat and the other frame is adapted to be detachably secured to the other side. By detaching this last-mentioned frame the same can be swung upward under the top bows and then downward upon the hinged side frame, thereby enabling the entire top to be swung into a compartment provided for it under the seat. Front and rear bows may be hinged to the side frames and connected thereto by elbowbraces. V

The invention also consists of the further novel constructions and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings Ihave shown the preferred form of my invention.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle-body having my improved top connected thereto, the fabric of the top being indicated by dotted lines. Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse section through the seat, showing the top folded thereunder, and Fig. 3 is a perspective View of a locking-bar adapted to be used in connection with the device.

Referring to the h'gures by numerals of reference, 1 is a vehicle-body having a seat 2,

provided with a compartment 3 thereunder, above which the seat-cushion L isadaptcd to be supported on side cleats 5. Vertical grooves 7 are formed in one side of the seat, and in each of these is hinged one end of parallel bows 8, which are connected adjacent their ends by cross-strips 9. These cross-strips and bows constitute one of the side frames of the top. Top bows 10 of any suitable form are hinged to the upper ends of bows 8, preferably by means of elbow-joints l1, and the other ends of these top bows are hinged in a similar manner to the other side frame of the top. This last-mentioned side frame comprises bows 12, connected adjacent their ends by cross-strips 13. The lower ends of the bows 12 fit within grooves 14, formed in one side of the seat, and have apertures 15, adapted to receive bolts 16, which are connected to a slidable rod 17. This rod is mounted in the side of the seat and has a suitable handle 18, whereby it can be readily manipulated. A front bow 19 and a rear bow 2O is pivoted to the lowerI portion of each side frame, and the front bows are connected by a top bow 21, which is hinged thereto, while the rear bows 2O have a top bow 22 hinged to them. Pivotally-connected links 23 are secured to these front and rear bows 19 and 20 and to the side frames and serve to limit the forward and rearward movement thereof. It will of course be understood that the top bows are to be provided with a covering of suitable fabric 24C, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1.

When it is desired to fold the vehicle-top and place it in position under the seat, the seat-cushion 4 is removed and the front and rear bows 19 and 2() are folded against bows 8 and 12. Bolts 16 are then slid out of engagement with bows 12, which in turn are swung upward into position under the top bows 10, 21, and 22. Bows 12 and the top bows are then swungdownward against bows 8 ofthe hinged side frame, thereby completing the operation of folding the top. The entire top is then swung downward upon the hinges of bows 8 and moved into the compartment 3 provided for it. The cushion-seat 4 can then be replaced upon its cleats 5. To set up the top, it is merely necessary to reverse the operation above described.

It will be understood that one of these tops can be provided for each seat of a vehicle, and

IOO

where two or more of them are employed they can all be connected by flexible auxiliary covers.

I attach importance to the fact that all parts of the top are permanently connected, and therefore there is no danger of losing or misplacing any portions thereof and the same is ready at all times to be set up or folded.

In the foregoing description I have shown the preferred form of my invention; but I do not limit myself thereto, as I am aware that modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages thereof, and I therefore reserve the right to make such changes as fairly fall within the scope of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. Acollapsibletop comprisingsideframes, top bows permanently connected to the same and hinged thereto, front and rear 'bows' hinged to the frames, top bows hinged to and connecting the front and rear bows respectively, and links connecting the frames with the front and rear bows, one of said frames and its front and rear bows being adapted to fold between the top bows and the other frame and its front and rear bows.

2. rIhe combination with a vehicle-seat, of side frames one of said frames being hinged to one side of the seat and means for detachably connecting the other frame to the other side of the seat and top bows hinged to and permanently connecting the side frames, the detachable side frame being adapted to fold between the top bows and the other side frame, and assuming a position substantially parallel with the seat.

3. The combination with a vehicle-seat, of

side frames, one of said frames being hinged to one side of the seat, means for detachably securing the other frame to the other side of the seat, and top bows permanently connecting and hinged to the side frames, the detachable frame being adapted to fold between the top bows and the hinged frame.

4. The combination with avehicle-seat having a compartment thereunder, of a side frame hinged to one side of the seat, a second side frame, means for detachably connecting said second frame to the other side of the seat, "top bows permanently pivoted to the side frames and connecting the same, front and rear bows pivoted to the frames, top bows hinged to and permanently connecting the front and rear bows respectively, pivotally-eonnected links secured to the side frames and front and rear bows, and means for detachably securing the second frame to the seat, said frame and its front and rear bows being' adapted to fold between the other frames and the top bows.

5. rIhe combination with a vehicle-seat havingacompartment thereunder; of sideframes, one of said frames being hinged to one side of the seat, means for detachably securing the other frame to the other side of the seat, top bows pivoted to and permanently connecting the side frames, one of said frames being adapte-d to fold between the top bows and the other frame, and the entire top assume a position within the compartment.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

IVILLIAM LINDSAY.

lVitnesses:

JAMES C. CAMPBELL, BERT WHEELER. 

